Corrosion is the deterioration of a material or its properties due to its reaction with the environment, typically resulting in the loss of structural integrity. It is estimated that an amount equal to about 3 to 4% of the GNP of industrialized countries is related to economic losses from corrosion, due to material loss, structural failure, loss of inventory, manufacturing plant down-time, warranty and insurance claims, lowered efficiency, contamination, and over designing of structures and components. Approximately 20% of life-cycle costs associated with the maintenance of military and commercial aircraft are related to corrosion inspection and repair. Corrosion also may lead to personal injury, property damage, and environmental contamination because of catastrophic degradation and failure of critical safety components. In addition, corrosion generates potentially detrimental and unnecessary ecological exploitation through the increased use of natural resources, both energy resources and material resources.
Current manufacturing and design practices rely on the personal knowledge, skill, and expertise of Material & Process Engineers to interrogate drawings and specifications on a part-by-part basis in order to identify possible corrosion issues. This engineering discipline is not systematic, and the engineering process lacks a common reference set of corrosion parameters. There exists a need for a quantitative tool to identify, characterize, and manage potential sites of corrosion.